The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-12-24


ing left for the skates, and | know how you
want them, and how many other things you
ought to have. You have helped mother
50 often, Phil. Can you help her once
more?"
For all answer he only chung to her the
closer.
And now holiday week was near at hand
1t was Friday, and school would close that
afternoon, and for two blessed, blissful
weeks there would be no session at all.
Christmas Day would come on Tuesday, and
the Forties were running riot in the realms
of anticipation. They Rugged each other
and danced about the street when the ex-
press agent told them of the packages that
were coming almost every day for Captain
Ransom, and the little Townies, who were
wont to protest they were glad their
papas weren't in the army, were beginning
to show traitorous signs of weakening It
was sore test, if every regiment had its
own Santa Claus, as the Forties said.
And older heads were noting that for
some time Captain Ransom drove not so
much downward, up the valley, as down; and
that there was a well-defned sleigh track
from the lower gate over to "the ranch. "
Officers coming up from the stables were
quick to note the new feature in the wintry
landscape, and TO make quizzical comment
thereon. Then, on Sunday, the third in
Advent, heavy snowstorm came up during
the morning service, and the wind blew a
''blizzard" 1t was only few weeks after
the Captains arrival, but his handsome
roans were well known in the valley already,
and the ladies looked at each other and
nodded significantly as they saw the team
drawn up near the chapel door when the
congregation came shuddering out into the
cold Mrs. Colonel Cross, who had a
charming young sister visiting her for the
holidays, and Mrs. Vane, whose Cousin
Pansy had come over from her brothers
station at Fort Whittlesey, had both offered
Ransom seats in their pews until he chose
his own; but he had chosen his own very
promptly, and it was well down the aisle
opposite that to which Mrs. Carleton had
dumbly retired after her fathers death.
As consequence the higher families reach
ed the door only in time to see the Captain
bundling the widow and her little ones in
his costly robes, and driving away through
the whirling storm.
That night the wind died away; the snow
fell heavily, and all the next day it lay in
silent, unruffled, unfurrowed beauty over
the broad level below the fort, and though
the Captains sleigh went downward toward
evening, and the butchers "bob" tore an
ugly groove along the lower edge, there
was now no trail other than the footpath
along the willow-fringed river bank joining
the garrison with the widows gate. When
Friday came, and the plain was still unfur-
rowed, Fort Rains was unanimous in its
conclusion Captain Ransom had offered
himself again, and been rejected.
The households of Vane and Potts, and
the ladies at least at the Colonel's, breathed
freer Capt. Ransom was invited to Christ
mas dinner at all three places, and begged
to be excused He explained that he pur-
posed having all the children at his house
from eight to ten for general frolic that
evening; and would not the ladies come
over and see the fun? Mrs. Vane and
sPansy" were for changing their dinner
hour to five o'clock, if thereby the Captain
could be secured, and Vane sounded" him,
but without the hoped-for result. He would
have to be at home, he said. Mrs. Carleton
was narrowly watched. Women who had
been disposed to treat her coldly could have
Rugged her now, if they could be sure she
had really refused the best catch in the
cavalry, and left a chance for some one else.
But Mrs. Carleton gave no sign, and she
was a woman they dared not question.
What staggered the theory of renewed offer
and rejection was the warmth and cordiality
of manner with which they met in public
and they met almost daily. There was
something that seemed to shatter the idea
of rejection in the very smile she gave him,
and in the reverence of his manner toward
her. Enlargement there certainly was
none, and yet he had been going over to
the ranch every day, and his visits had sud
denly ceased Why? They scanned his
face for indications; but, as Mrs. Vane put
it, che always was an exasperating creature;
you could no more read him than you could
a mummy"
Monday before Christmas hadcome, and
Col. Cross, trudging home from his Office
about noon, caught sight OF the tall and
graceful figure of Mrs. Carleton coming to-
ward him along the walk. He was about
to hail her in his CHEEKY style, when he saw
that her head was bowed, and that she was
in evident distress. Even while he was
wondering how to accost her, she put him
out of doubt. Her lips we're twitching and
her cheeks were flushed; tears were starting
in her eyes, butshe strove hard to command
herself and speak calmly.
"You weres so kind as to order the special
for me this morning, Colonel, but l shall
not need it; cannot so to town."
He knew well that something had gone
wrong Blunt, rugged old trooper that he
was, he had been her fathers intimate in
their cadet days, and he wanted to befriend
her. More than little he suspected that
hers was not path of roses among the
ladies at Rains. In his presence they were